Sustaining the thriving inland aquaculture of upland barangays, the Department of Agriculture Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources 6 (DA-BFAR 6), through its Provincial Fisheries Office (PFO) – Negros Occidental, turned over 46,000 tilapia fingerlings to the City Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (CFARMC) of Himamaylan City in the province of Negros Occidental on Jan. 31, 2024.
The fingerlings were distributed to 15 fishpond operators in the barangays of Carabalan, Cabanbanan, and Nabalian, supporting the operation of their respective fish farms.
CFARMC Chairman and the current Provincial Fisherfolk Representative of Negros Occidental, Jovito G. Gatilogo, received the fingerlings at the PFO Negros Occidental Office in Brgy 39, Bacolod City.
By adhering to good aquaculture practices and proper feeding, the distributed fingerlings are projected to produce 4.8 metric tons of tilapia and generate an accumulated income of P700,000.00 after four months of culture.
In the previous year, Himamaylan CFARMC assisted in providing a total of 12,000 tilapia fingerlings to four fish growers. Their production report indicates a harvest of 1.4 metric tons, resulting in a total gross income of P146,900.00.
This initiative aligns with the broader goal of DA-BFAR 6, aiming to boost inland aquaculture production by strengthening its established hatcheries to provide technical assistance and agricultural inputs, including tilapia fingerlings.